The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-01
MIR. JEFFERSON DAVIS
SAYS, IN REGARD TO THE RE.
IURHING OF FLAGS,
II the object IL 10 Unite the People,
Let Every sign Of the Copafrt
be Obliterated.

BALTIMORE, June 80 The SUD has
the following letter from Jefferson
Davis In reference 10 the return N the
Southern battle fllgs: "It the d,jcet
no be TO unite the people Of thu
Nc hsnd South ss brethren IN tbs
union az means to that end, every
sign OF past conflict should, a. far ss
practicable be obliterated. To retain
~ point Of pride flag captured In
battle by UIion or Confederate 70 diefs
would be equivalent to renewed ex.
ultaiion OF triumph by the one or the
other, and surely not q step toward
the restoration OF peace. Figs
captured from foreign enemy may
be retained as trophies sitter peace, but
here q cessation OF hostilitiss Il not
pretended to bs the equivalent u Ira
termination. have beard OF various
instances In which Southern soldies
having retained f,gs captured In bat.
tie did, after the war, send them bick
10 the organization from which they
were captured, and have heard ! Il no
instance when such trophy has esn
displayed at q reunion OF Sotl -
soldiers 10 manifest their sus
In battle over their NortbeySi(
brethren. Our men fought fr
principle aud that they have MT
Surrendered, but rather hops lsssiy
lived 10 ses the good sense the
Northern men revert 10 the teacIiDgs
OF their sires and Te-establish tho gov.
eminent according 10 the consultation
on which II wss four ded. That b ths
only victory which would be tothem
and their children thing 10 be Priced
and glonfed. When the Confederate
Government evacuated Rlchhond,
many algs CAPTURED In battle were
deposited In the war Office In Ricn.
mond.
So far a. | know, they were lsi,
there and found by the UniiedSiales
troops when they entered tlts city.
This would at least exhibit ploof Of
the fact that the South did mo- wish
10 treasure mp such evidences oi any
triumphs 1t ever had over thelNorth.
When Washington received the eur.
render Of CORVALLIS a. Yorkttvn he
required the British colors O. be de-
livered to him In cas,s, The United
States Government presented those
hsgg 20 Gen. Washington, and he left
them 10 Gsoigs Washington PArke
Gusts, by whom they we're irtrusied
10 me when was Secretary oi War,
and left In the War office At Washing.
ton. Though these were foreign h,gs
and tigns OF q very memorable occa-
sion, tbs then United States govern.
ment did not deem them OF sufficient
| importance 10 be exhibited ~ tro-
phies OF victory over q foreign enemy,
but presented them 10 the soldier to
whom they had surrendered. The
South lIm manifested no dedre TO
have Possession OF the a,ss lost In
battle; their value departed when sur.
rendered, and the excitement which
has been created over the proposition
10 return both TO the North AID the
South the hass they had lest In battle,
seems very like q tempest In
q teapot. Whether they shcnld lie
and be consumed by moth Ia
boxes OF the UGile J States War Office,
~ be returned 10 their former swnsrr,
has one element Of value, w,ich 10
that the rest JfatioD would be q d, clAr.
alton such ~ old Romans made that
there should be no triumph for VIC
tory won 10 civil war. So fra, II
should express the feeling Of restored
fraternity, II would be an advance
toward that condition which all fes.
sonable men will recognise o. desirable
among lhoss who are 10 live t1ge her.